UVA alum working to make businesses more accessible to everyone

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - A University of Virginia alum is trying to make sure businesses go beyond the American Disabilities Act (ADA) and become more accessible for people with mobility challenges.

“I grew up understanding the different barriers and challenges that people with disabilities face on a daily basis, so I decided to do something about it,” VisitAble CEO Joe Jamison said. “I grew up listening to my father calling ahead to restaurants, movie theaters, hotels to check their accessibility, having to talk with five or six different people before we finally got an answer.”

Jamison created his own business in a capstone class at UVA to bridge the gap between minimum ADA compliance and what is practically accessible.

“On one end we’re trying to gather a community of people with disabilities through our database mobility information, which broadcasts crucial accessibility information for people with mobility challenges trying to navigate if a space is accessible to them or not,” Jamison said. “On the other end, we’re creating training certification process which businesses and governments and public and private organizations alike go through to really help them increase their awareness, their transparency.”

VisitAble teaches businesses multiple aspects accessibility.

“We talk really about the human side of things, how to treat people with disabilities, and answer things that might not be common sense,” the CEO said.

Jamison says his company has so far worked with 32 businesses in Charlottesville, but he’s hoping to make a nationwide impact.

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